Week 1 is officially behind us, and the first week of EST picks finished with an 11–4–1 record. Not a bad way to start, but now comes the challenge of doing it again. Week 2 gives us a little more information to work with after finally seeing every team play meaningful football. As always, these are straight-up winners. No spreads, no betting, just who I think wins each game.

Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills

Pick: Buffalo Bills

This is honestly a toss-up. Detroit showed me more in Week 1 than I expected, while Buffalo just survived a five-point battle against Houston. Both offenses showed they can put points on the board, and I wouldn’t be surprised whatsoever if this comes down to the final possession. Ultimately, though, Josh Allen at home is my tiebreaker. When two teams are this close, I’ll trust one of the best quarterbacks in football to make the deciding play. Give me Buffalo, but not with much confidence.

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Carolina Panthers

Yes, Carolina allowed 59 points last week. I saw it too. But Bryce Young was absolutely not the problem. He accounted for four touchdowns while Carolina’s offense put up 37 points, and that’s enough scoring to win plenty of NFL games. Atlanta’s offense didn’t exactly inspire confidence in its 20–13 loss to Pittsburgh. I’m betting on Carolina’s offense staying hot and its defense being at least somewhat better than the disaster we watched in Week 1.

New Orleans Saints @ Baltimore Ravens

Pick: New Orleans Saints

Here comes one of my boldest picks of Week 2. New Orleans may have lost its opener, but I came away more impressed with the Saints than I expected. Tyler Shough threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns, and New Orleans erased a 21–0 deficit before eventually losing 31–30. Baltimore looked excellent in its own opener, so I completely understand anyone taking the Ravens here. I’m going the other way. If Shough and this Saints offense carry their Week 1 form into Baltimore, I think New Orleans can pull off the upset.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Chicago Bears

Minnesota deserves enormous credit for what it did after losing Kyler Murray in Week 1, eventually turning a 22–10 deficit into a 39–22 victory. But now there is uncertainty at quarterback, while Chicago just hung 59 points on Carolina. Caleb Williams accounted for four touchdowns without turning the football over and looked extremely comfortable running the offense. Minnesota showed me a lot, but I’m riding with the Bears at home.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans

Pick: Cincinnati Bengals

This might be the closest game on the entire slate for me. Houston lost in Week 1, but there is no shame in losing 36–31 to Buffalo, and I still have tremendous respect for the Texans’ defense. Cincinnati, meanwhile, finally avoided one of those ugly early-season losses that have hurt them in recent years. I could easily see this going either way, but when I’m this torn, I’m going to trust Cincinnati’s offensive firepower to make one or two more plays when it matters.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots

Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

Before the season started, I said New England had a legitimate chance to begin the year 0–4, and after watching Week 1, that possibility certainly hasn’t gone away. The Patriots managed only 10 points against Seattle, and now they get a Pittsburgh team coming off a road victory. New England’s defense can keep this competitive, but until the offense proves otherwise, I’m sticking with what I said before the season. Pittsburgh sends the Patriots to 0–2.

Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets

Pick: Green Bay Packers

Green Bay’s Week 1 collapse against Minnesota was ugly, but I’m not abandoning the Packers after one game. They were leading 22–10 late in the third quarter before everything completely fell apart. The Jets deserve credit for beating Tennessee convincingly, but Green Bay has too much talent for me to pick against them here. I’m expecting a much more disciplined fourth quarter and a bounce-back win for the Packers.

Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Neither team won in Week 1, but Cleveland’s 34–10 loss to Jacksonville was far more concerning to me than Tampa Bay losing 33–27 in Cincinnati. The Buccaneers were competitive against a good Bengals team and showed enough offensively to make me comfortable taking them at home. Cleveland needs to show me something before I’m trusting the Browns to win on the road.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee disappointed me in Week 1. I picked the Titans to beat the Jets, and instead they managed only 10 points in a 23–10 loss. Philadelphia wasn’t dominant against Washington, but the Eagles still found a way to win, and that’s what good teams do. Until Tennessee gives me a reason to believe otherwise, Philadelphia is simply the safer and better pick.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville quietly had one of the most convincing performances of Week 1, beating Cleveland 34–10. Denver, meanwhile, just ran into a Kansas City team that looked determined to remind everyone who it is. Playing in Denver is never easy, but I liked what I saw from Jacksonville enough to trust them on the road. The Jaguars have a chance to start 2–0 and make people pay attention very quickly.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers completely burned me in Week 1. Arizona walked into SoFi Stadium and beat them 26–14 in one of the biggest surprises of the opening weekend. Meanwhile, Las Vegas handled Miami 27–13. So why am I going back to Los Angeles? Because I’m giving the Chargers one opportunity to show that Week 1 was an aberration. Starting 0–2 with consecutive home losses would be a nightmare. I expect a much more urgent Chargers team this week.

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Seattle Seahawks

Arizona deserves plenty of respect after shocking the Chargers in Week 1, so Seattle cannot overlook this game. But I’m sticking with the team sitting atop my EST Elite rankings. Drew Lock was thrown into the starting role and still helped Seattle find a way to win against New England. Now he’ll have another full week of first-team reps and preparation, and I expect the offense to unlock a little more for him in Week 2. Arizona already proved it can surprise people, but I’m taking Seattle to move to 2–0.

Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco was my favorite upset pick of Week 1, and the 49ers rewarded me by absolutely dismantling the Rams 27–7. Now they return home against a Miami team coming off a 27–13 loss to Las Vegas. I’m not overthinking this one. San Francisco looked physical, prepared and dangerous in its opener. Give me the 49ers.

Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Dallas Cowboys

Dallas burned me against the Giants, and New York was simply the tougher and more disciplined football team. But Washington is coming off a loss of its own, and the Commanders now have to travel to Dallas for another divisional matchup. I’m giving the Cowboys another chance. There is too much offensive talent on this roster for me to believe Week 1 is what Dallas will look like every Sunday. Cowboys bounce back at home.

Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Kansas City Chiefs

I’m keeping this one simple. Patrick Mahomes is healthy, Kansas City is at Arrowhead, and the Chiefs just beat the defending AFC West champions 31–10. After everything that happened during last season’s 6–11 nightmare, Week 1 looked like a team determined to put that year behind it. Indianapolis has to show me a lot more before I’m picking them to walk into Kansas City and win. Chiefs move to 2–0.

New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams

Pick: Los Angeles Rams

This became a much harder pick after Week 1. John Harbaugh’s Giants immediately showed a toughness and discipline that I didn’t expect to see this early, while Los Angeles was embarrassed 27–7 by San Francisco. But there are two major reasons I’m giving the Rams another chance. Aaron Donald should make his return, which would obviously be a massive boost to the defense, and the Rams are finally back on home soil after traveling across the world for their opener in Australia. No international travel, a familiar environment and potentially Donald back in the middle of that defense should give us a much better version of the Rams. Give me Los Angeles, but the Giants made this pick far more uncomfortable than I expected before the season.

Week 2 Is Locked In

There they are. 16 games, 16 picks.

After starting the season 11–4–1, the goal is simple: stack another winning week and keep building the record.

There are some safe picks here, but I’m certainly not hiding from the difficult ones. Saints over Ravens, Panthers over Falcons and Jaguars over Broncos could either make this week look brilliant or come back to haunt me. Bills over Lions and Bengals over Texans were basically toss-ups, and those are the games that can make or break a week of picks.

Either way, the receipts will be waiting next week.

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